Scott1sh

Thanks Scott1sh, that is interesting,

 

Forgive a direct question ... trying to nub things out.

 

Is your summary, that with Crystal, you expected less but you got exactly what you were expecting, and sometimes a bit more, but with Silversea, you expected more but sometimes got what you were expecting but sometimes a bit less?

 

Is that it?

 

Jeff

Jeff - as far as the soft product goes (i.e. service, entertainment, etc), the service on both lines was outstanding. However on Crystal I suspect that they may have imposed stricter service delivery standards due to number of employees and passengers. This may mean that the staff have less of an opportunity to excel by adding their own style, personality and ideas to their job. I suspect that SS staff may have more flexibility, which can lead to truly excellent service but (on occasion) may mean that individual crew members are not quite up to scratch.

Does that make sense?

Sorry to start another Silversea V ??? cruise line but, we have only sailed with Silversea five times and love the cruise line. Last year we went to Monaco (grand prix) and really enjoyed it.

 

We are thinking of going in 2015, looking at other cruise lines, Crystal look like a good bet. A lot cheaper and more days on the cruise (12) as opposed to 9. I realise you get what you pay for but for such a short cruise is it good value?

 

Looking at reviews it looks like they have two evening dining times, not good!

 

I would appreciate the comments of you avid experienced cruisers, thank you in anticipation. :)

I have just returned from my first trip on Crystal Serentity after three consecutive cruises on Silversea - 2 on the Cloud and 1 on the Spirit.

I must say we really enjoyed it but it is different from SS for a number of reasons. Please note I am conveying that it is different, not better, not worse. Given the chance, I would jump at another trip on either.

So, let's look at some of these differences:

Cabins: Crystal regular verandah cabins are smaller, and not quite as well laid-out as SS. However, decor is a bit more up to date and we had no AC / plumbing issues: something we had on the Cloud on both cruises.

Dining: Several times on Crystal we looked at one another and proclaimed that what we were eating was the best we ever tasted. However, fixed dining IS a bug-bear. It causes crowding, especially on the first night as nobody knows where they are going or what they should be doing. However we are happy to eat late 8.30. By arriving to the dining room at 8.40-8.45 we missed the thronging masses. Crystal's menus are more imaginative and adventurous than SS however we missed the 'always available' menu and found the food a little too rich. Speciality restaurants on Crystal were out of this world, and the concept is a bit more up to date than Champagne on SS.

Pool area / outside space: Yes, Crystal has bigger ships, and circa 1000 passengers, but it never felt cramped. There were no issues finding a lounger in the sun or in the shade. The grill, ice cream bar and general service around the pool were excellent. The larger ship meant that you could relax by the pool without the noise / aromas from the deck grill, or feel that you had to tidy up and retreat to your cabin when they start setting up for Hot Rocks on Silversea.

I LOVED having a promenade deck. Not being able to do full laps round Silver Spirit really bugged me! I was fully expecting to prefer the smaller size of SS ships, but actually quite liked the additional facilities and public spaces which a ship of Crystal's size can offer. Incidentally we are considering a world cruise, and I am now swaying towards Crystal. That said, we have agreed that a standard verandah cabin on Crystal would be too cramped for 100+ days and we would book a Penthouse. On the flipside, I know a standard verandah on SS would be more than adequate: we enjoy the size, the fact you can literally divide the cabin in two and of course, the walk-in closet!

Entertainment: I feel Crystal has the edge on this - purely because the larger ship allows for events to run concurrently and therefore gives you more choice.

Service: Silversea has regularly blown me away with the wonderful service. However, it has also left me sorely disappointed on occasion. Consistency seems to be a challenge and this is something SS needs to address.

Crystal service was consistently excellent, and despite the size of the ship, we were able to build relationships with the staff that I enjoyed on SS: we were regularly addressed by name and staff would remember your favourite drinks, etc. Crystal's staff were truly international, coming from all corners of the world - where as it struck me that SS's crew seems to come largely from the Philippines. Again, I am not trying to say one is better than the other, just different and that is reflected in the two lines' service style.

Fellow guests: we are not big socialisers, but I got the impression that Crystal guests were marginally younger, and slightly more easy going than on Silversea. I have been truly shocked by how fellow passengers have treated staff on SS (barking orders, lack of please and thank you etc). I saw less of this on Crystal.

I hope that gives you an idea of my first impressions of Crystal vs. Silversea. I loved both and would not hesitate to book a trip on either line. Itinerary and cost would be our primary driving factors for a regular cruise, but we will really need to weigh up the pros and cons if and when we take plunge and book a world cruise.

If you have any specific questions, just let me know.

Thanks for the update. It's just so sad but I hope that Judie is still able to use all of the positive energy that she radiated and shared with many hundreds of SS passengers for her own well being.

I also hope that Silversea HQ are doing their bit to ensure a much-loved member of their team is looked after at this difficult time. If ever there was an opportunity for Silversea's controversial Maruzza Lefebvre D’Ovidio Foundation to do some good, surely this is it.

Has anybody heard any news from Judie? I was thinking about her today and would really love to know how she is getting on.

What deck are you on? We were in a forward vista suite on deck 4 and the noise from the foredeck really bothered us. The machinery IS noisy and unless you are a very heavy sleeper, it will wake you up.

The bow thrusters were much noisier than the anchor machinery, and it ran for 30-40 minutes each time we docked / departed. Some of our arrivals were very early in the morning and we were woken around 5.

We ended up paying to change suite (to a midship verandah) as it really was spoiling our trip.

Very sad news indeed. Judie was our CD on our first ever SS cruise and she set a benchmark which no others have come close to.

I hope she is being well looked after.